From tailgates to bowl games, iconic coaches to Heisman Trophy winners, national titles to rivalries, college football is a sport unlike any other when it comes to tradition.
College football is a uniquely American tradition. No other nation makes as big a fuss about college athletics, and football is king of the NCAA. College football has been around much longer than its professional version, with the earliest games being played shortly after the Civil War wrapped up.
With well over 150 years of action, college football has built up its own set of uniquely personal traditions. Every program has them, even the smallest, most obscure. With so many crazy traditions and fervent fanbases, creating a comprehensive ranking is an extremely difficult task, but we’re going to give it the ol’ college try.
25. Lafayette Leopards
This list starts off with a program most of you have probably never heard of, but I went to Lafayette and this is my list, so bear with me.
The Leopards currently play football at the FCS level and have been playing college football at some level since 1882. Lafayette has won three national titles (1896, 1921 and 1926), seven conference titles, and has posted six undefeated seasons. The Leopards rank 44th in all-time NCAA wins with 670.
Lafayette is best known for its long-standing rivalry with Lehigh University. The Leopards and Mountain Hawks have played 151 times, and their rivalry is the most-played matchup in college football history. The two teams have played every single year since 1897, which is the most consecutive years a rivalry game has been played. While the game may not draw 100,000 fans, it’s a fiercely contested game, with fans from both sides hurling insults back and forth the entire time. Lafayette currently leads the all-time series 78-68-5.
Lafayette is also part of several other interesting pieces of football lore. Former coach George Barclay is credited with inventing the football helmet, and Lafayette is also believed to be the first team to use the huddle formation, when they tried to prevent the University of Pennsylvania from stealing their hand signals. Lafayette is also famous for being denied a bid to the 1949 Sun Bowl after requesting that an African-American player, David Showell, be allowed to play in the white-only stadium.
24. UCLA Bruins
College football does not quite generate the same level of fervor on the West Coast as it does in the Corn Belt and Southern states, but there are a handful of worthy programs who call the Pacific time zone home. The UCLA Bruins are the first team from the best coast to crack the list.
The Bruins have hit a bit of a rough patch of late but have a lengthy history of excellent football. They also play in arguably the most iconic college football stadium in the country, the Rose Bowl. They have been ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll at least once in every decade since the poll’s inception in the 1930s. How’s that for consistency?
UCLA has only won a single national title (1954) but does have 17 conference titles. They have also played in 12 Rose Bowls, winning five of them. For years, before the rise of the Oregon Ducks, UCLA and its rival, USC, were the two most prominent West Coast teams.
There is just something special about watching UCLA football play on the perfectly manicured Rose Bowl grass in the California sunshine. Throw in those beautiful blue and gold uniforms, and it’s truly a recipe for great college football. The Bruins have been a bit down on their luck since the early 2000s, but Jim Mora has them pointed back in the right direction.
23. Boise State Broncos
Having seen my pick for number 25, it should be obvious that this list is not going to be composed entirely of Power Five teams. Boise State is the program that made small-school football cool in the early 2000s, and that makes it worthy of inclusion on this list.
The Broncos changed the paradigm in college football. With their rise to prominence, fans of small schools could indeed dream big. Boise State’s run of domination began around the year 2000. Dirk Koetter led the team to a 26-10 record during his three years before giving way to Dan Hawkins, who went 53-11 in five years. Up next was Chris Petersen, who steered the Broncos to some of the best years in NCAA history.
Under Petersen, Boise State went an incomprehensible 92-12, recorded two undefeated seasons and achieved their highest rankings ever in the polls, topping out at No. 2. The most memorable game of Petersen’s tenure was the epic 2007 Fiesta Bowl that ended on a Statue of Liberty two-point conversion.
BSU is best known, however, for its smurf turf. They are the only team in Division 1 to play on a field that is not green. Though they pack fewer than 40,000 into their stadium, the Broncos are almost impossible to defeat at home. They are105-6 at home since 1999, and at one point had won 65 home games in a row.
22. Harvard Crimson
Harvard’s football team is one of the oldest in the world, dating all the way back to 1873, and the Crimson dominated the early years of college football. They won seven national titles between 1890 and 1919 and had over 80 All-Americans over the 40-year period between 1889 and 1928. From their early days, over 20 Crimson players have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Harvard’s annual rivalry with Yale, known simply as “The Game,” dates back to 1875. The Crimson and the Bulldogs have a few off years in their rivalry, and thus, are behind Lafayette-Lehigh. The Game is an important rivalry in college football because many of the most basic rules of the sport were ironed out while Harvard and Yale squared off, as college football predates professional football. In addition to laying the groundwork for the sport’s rulebook, Harvard-Yale also helped pioneer many of the college football traditions we have come to love, like fight songs and mascots.
21. Yale Bulldogs
Yale comes in ahead of Harvard due to the fact the Bulldogs have won close to 50 more games than the Crimson. Yale ranks third on the all-time NCAA list, and they began play in 1872.
While Harvard was a dominant team in the late 1800s, Yale was almost unstoppable. The Bulldogs won 26 titles between 1872 and 1909, a feat that will never be matched in the modern era of college football. Yale also has over 100 All-Americans and two of the first three Heisman Trophy winners were Bulldogs. Yale’s 71,000-seat Yale Bowl was also the first bowl-shaped stadium in the country, built in 1913.
One of Yale’s early coaches, Walter Camp, is referred to as “the father of American football.” Camp played at Yale from 1876 to 1882 (what I wouldn’t do for six years of college) and then became their head coach. It was Camp who successfully began transitioning football away from its rugby roots. He was instrumental in ending the scrum and starting each play with a snap from a line of scrimmage. Today, he is the namesake of one of the awards given to the nation’s best player.
Other famous names to come out of Yale include Amos Alonzo Stagg, an iconic coach, and Pudge Heffelfinger, the first professional football player. Yale and Harvard both have iconic histories, but they have faded from prominence. Their demise began in the 1950s with the creation of the Ivy League and the prohibition of postseason play. Being unable to participate in bowls pushed the schools further away from the spotlight.
20. Wisconsin Badgers
It might not be pretty, but Wisconsin football is the epitome of Midwestern, brute force football. The Badgers are one of the founding members of the Big 10, beginning play in 1896. They have won the conference 14 times, including three straight from 2010 to 2012. Wisconsin has squared off 122 times with the University of Minnesota, which is the most-played rivalry in the FBS.
Wisconsin is known for its punishing ground game, which has earned them the title “Running Back U.” The nickname was coined under Hall of Fame coach Barry Alvarez in the 1990s and sticks to this day. Wisconsin has had two running backs win the Heisman, Alan Ameche and Ron Dayne. Dayne is the current record holder for rushing yardage and is tied with historic names like Marcus Allen and Ricky Williams for most 200-yard games.
More famous than the stable of running backs the school has churned out is the party-like atmosphere that pervades Camp Randall Stadium. The tradition of playing Jump Around at the start of the fourth quarter is truly a sight to behold.
Wisconsin has historically played second, third, or even fourth fiddle in the Big 10 to schools like Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State, but they have more than enough tradition to make this list.
19. Oregon Ducks
Check back in another 20 years, and Oregon might rank much higher on this list. The Ducks just don’t have enough history for now. Oregon has been playing football since the 1890s but ranks outside the top-50 on the all-time NCAA wins list. Give it time, however, because Nike is building the Ducks into an unstoppable force of neon-colored jerseys.
Through the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s, Oregon football floundered. The track and basketball teams carried the university’s athletic program, and at one point, the football program was actually losing money. In 1983, the Ducks played in the infamous “Toilet Bowl” with Oregon State, a 0-0 tie.
Finally, in 1994-95, the Ducks broke through with coach Rich Brooks and made the Rose Bowl. Though they lost to Penn State, the program was finally headed in the right direction. In 2001, with Mike Bellotti, the Ducks were at the heart of the first big BCS controversy, after they got passed over for Nebraska, but beat Colorado in the Fiesta Bowl
After Bellotti resigned, Chip Kelly took over, and his spread offense vaulted Oregon into permanent national title contender status. The Ducks have won four of the past seven Pac-12 titles and have made two appearances in the national title game.
With a passionate fanbase, and Phil Knight continuing to treat the program like a spoiled grandchild, the Oregon Ducks will only continue to build their tradition in the coming years. Years of mediocrity keep Oregon out of the top 10 on this list, but things have changed for good.
18. Ole Miss Rebels
There’s just something special about a school that refers to itself as Ole Miss rather than the University of Mississippi. The Rebels aren’t exactly on this list for all their football prowess over the years. They are a second-tier team in the SEC and haven’t won a conference title since 1963.
So, if it’s not the football that has Ole Miss on this list, what is it?
The Grove — it’s gotta be The Grove.
The Grove is a 10-acre plot of magnolia trees that sits on the edge of campus and is filled with thousands of revelers before every game. The Grove is southern sporting culture in a nutshell — seersucker suits and pants, Sperrys, women in cocktail dresses and of course … plenty of booze. Every major sporting publication, ranging from ESPN to the Sporting News, to the New York Times, rates Ole Miss as one of the top tailgating spots in the country.
And then, there’s the chant, Hotty Toddy.
There may not be many reasons for most Americans to ever set foot in the state of Mississippi, but The Grove at least provides a semi-convincing argument.
17. Miami Hurricanes
No football program in the country has courted controversy as consistently as the Miami Hurricanes. Hell, it was so ugly at one point there was good reason to think the entire program should be shut down.
The Canes have staked their claim over the years to the title of baddest boys in college football. Miami dubbed itself “The U,” and their helmets, with the orange and green U are iconic. Never mind that virtually every other big-time college football team is a U of something.
Everything about the Miami Hurricanes football program fits perfectly in the Mi-yayo. Their players showed up in combat fatigues for the 1987 Fiesta Bowl. There were constant jokes about players having to take pay cuts when entering the NFL. Billowing clouds of smoke welcomed the players to the Orange Bowl turf before every home game, and a crew of rappers and entertainers hung around the team during its heyday.
Miami dominated the 1980s and early 2000s and have currently fallen on hard times. That’s what happens when you let undesirables like Nevin Shapiro hang around the program, but how could Miami have it any other way?
16. Penn State Nittany Lions
The Penn State Nittany Lions may be a somewhat controversial selection for inclusion on this list given all of the controversy swirling around deceased former head coach Joe Paterno and convicted child rapist Jerry Sandusky. No matter how you slice it, it’s an ugly, disgraceful situation for what was once perceived as one of the NCAA’s cleanest programs.
It hasn’t been so happy in Happy Valley the past five years, but the program still boasts a lot of tradition. Paterno had five undefeated seasons and won two consensus national titles. His program produced a Heisman Trophy winner and scores upon scores of NFL players. There are currently 51 Penn State alums active in the NFL. Six PSU players have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Penn State is best known for its rich tradition of punishing defense, earning the nickname “Linebacker U.” From Jack Ham and Shane Conlan all the way down the list to Lavar Arrington, Paul Posluszny, Sean Lee and Tamba Hali, Penn State has produced hard-nosed defenders who have gone on to star in the NFL.
Penn State is still trying to pick up the pieces from the Sandusky scandal, and only time will tell if the head coaches and players that will come in the future will be able to bring the Nittany Lions back into consideration as a top 10 NCAA program.
15. Tennessee Volunteers
At this point, we’re starting to get to the portion of the list where it’s very hard to distinguish between programs. The Vols have long been one of the best football programs in the country, and rank in the top 10 in the NCAA wins list. They are also second in the SEC when it comes to win-loss record.
UT plays in Neyland Stadium, one of the largest in the country. In 2004, they managed to squeeze in over 109,000 for a game against Florida. Besides playing winning football, Tennessee’s program has spawned a handful of time-honored traditions. The Vols’ version of light orange is distinct to the school alone and has even been made into a paint color by Home Depot. The checkerboard end zone pattern is iconic, so’s their bluetick coonhound mascot, Smokey, and then there’s Rocky Top.
14. Auburn Tigers
Being the second-best program in the state of Alabama isn’t a bad thing to be, and that’s exactly what the Auburn Tigers are. Auburn has two official national titles, six unofficial titles, and eight SEC titles. The coach for whom the Heisman Trophy is named, John Heisman, coached Auburn in the late 1890s, and the school has produced three trophy winners, including Bo Jackson and Cam Newton.
What Auburn is really known for, besides undefeated seasons, the Iron Bowl and national titles, is the controlled chaos that takes place at Toomer’s Corner after big wins.
Rolling Toomer’s Corner is what college football and its ingrained traditions are all about, but unfortunately, a ‘Bama fan poisoned the oak trees, forcing the university to cut them down in 2013.
13. Nebraska Cornhuskers
The Nebraska Cornhuskers have had some of college football’s greatest teams of all time. ESPN puts two Husker teams, the 1971 and 1995 undefeated squads, in its top three of all college football teams in history. Nebraska also has the highest win total and best winning percentage in the NCAA over the past 50 years.
Overall, Nebraska has 46 conference titles, five national titles and three Heisman Trophy winners. They were the first team to win three titles in four years (1994, 1995 and 1997) since Notre Dame in 1946-1949.
Nebraska has plenty of traditions beyond winning that make it a worthy inclusion on this list. The Cornhusker defense has always been fearsome and is known as the Blackshirts. Traditionally, the starting defense wore black shirts in practice, building upon their intimidating reputation. Nebraska is also known for its wide-open walk-on program, which attracts many players from rural Nebraska. This program was started by longtime coach Tom Osborne and has actually produced 29 NFL players.
In recent years, Nebraska has tumbled down a few pegs in terms of national relevance. They have cycled through a few unsuccessful coaches since Osborne retired. Nebraska was a controversial inclusion in the 2002 BCS title game and was smoked by Miami by a score of 37-14. They have not been back to a top bowl since.
12. Georgia Bulldogs
Under Mark Richt, the Bulldogs were known more for their underachieving seasons than anything else. Georgia had plenty of elite talent pass through its doors with Richt at the helm, but could never win a national title.
Georgia has won two national titles, 14 conference titles and 28 of their 48 bowl games. The 48 bowl game appearances are fifth all time.
Georgia falls a tick or two below the top of the SEC, but they more than make up for that in terms of tradition. UGA, the school’s live bulldog mascot, slobbering, jowly and pacing the sidelines may be the most famous animal mascot in college football. Georgia is the only school in the country to actually inter their deceased mascots within the stadium. Sanford Stadium itself is famous, especially for its iconic hedges.
Most importantly, Georgia loves its rivalries. These rivalries include, but are not limited to, The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry (Auburn), Clean, Old Fashioned Hate (Georgia Tech) and the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party (Florida). Georgia’s rivalry with South Carolina is also growing in importance but does not have a nickname. The Bulldogs lead the all-time series by several games in each of their rivalries.
11. Florida Gators
Florida would be on this list even if they didn’t have a history of winning national titles and Heisman Trophies. Gatorade was invented to rehydrate Florida football players in the heat and humidity of the Sunshine State’s swamp-like climate. Just think where we would be as a society without Gatorade.
Moving past sugary sports beverages, Florida has been one of the nation’s best programs for years. The Gators have won three national titles and have produced three Heisman winners. One of those trophy winners, Steve Spurrier, came back to coach and left a legacy as the Ol’ Ball Coach.
Florida’s home stadium, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, is one of the nation’s loudest, and the Gators enjoy one of the best home-field advantages in college football. The heat, humidity and the tightness of the seating create a raucous environment that most opponents struggle in. The Swamp is truly a perfect description for the home of the Gators, and fans celebrate big plays with a chomping motion.
10. Army Black Knights/Navy Midshipmen
When military service was compulsory rather than elective, the US service academies enjoyed an excellent standing in college football. Both programs have slipped since their heydays in the mid-1900s, but their rivalry is still one of the country’s most important.
Back in the day, scores of excellent football players suited up for West Point and the Naval Academy. They have combined for six national titles and five Heisman Trophy winners. Doc Blanchard, Glenn Davis and Roger Staubach are historic names that will always be etched in the history of college football.
Army and Navy have been playing each other in football since 1890, and their annual game is one of biggest reminders of the purity with which college football used to be played. The players who suit up for the academies are not going on to play in the NFL. The rivalry is intense, but an air of sportsmanship and respect hangs over the contest. Cadets and midshipmen make up large swaths of the crowd, decked out in their dress uniforms. The pageantry is undeniable, even if the football on the field is a notch below elite.
Army has won the game only once since 1999.
9. Florida State Seminoles
Florida State’s iconic coach, Bobby Bowden, has the most victories in NCAA Division 1 history.
Bowden built the Seminoles into a dynasty in the late 1980s and ’90s. His teams won national titles in 1993 and 1999. His 1999 team went wire-to-wire as the No. 1 team in the country. Overall, from 1987 to 2000, Florida State went 152-19-1, winning two national titles, nine ACC titles, 11 bowl games and never finished lower than fourth in the rankings.
Florida State is also home to many famous traditions. Their spear helmets and pride stickers are instantly recognizable. Chief Osceola and his horse, Renegade, provide a stirring display before every home game. Florida State has done an excellent job to honor the history of the Seminole tribe after which they are named.
One of the more interesting traditions that continues at Florida State is the Sod Cemetery, which began in 1962. After every big road game in which the Seminoles are an underdog, a piece of sod from the opposing team is brought back to the FSU campus by the victorious captains. The most recent “sod game” came in 2013, when the ‘Noles traveled to Clemson and delivered a 51-14 beatdown.
8. Louisiana State Tigers
Baton Rouge may be one of the best places to watch a college football game in the country. Tiger Stadium is referred to as “Death Valley” for a reason. A combination of liquored-up Cajuns and a swarming defense make winning an almost impossible task for visiting teams.
LSU’s stadium is interesting for several reasons. It’s one of (if not the only) few stadiums to mark every five yards rather than ten. The goalposts in each end zone are still the old-fashioned h-style goalposts. The open mouth of the posts in the north end zone is used for the team’s dramatic entrance. The cross bar from the goalposts that stood in the stadium from 1955-1984 is mounted in the locker room, and each player touches it before taking the field.
LSU is famous for playing many night games. Various reasons for a night-heavy schedule have been given, including avoiding the heat and humidity of the day, scheduling conflicts with Tulane and Loyola, and allowing more fans the opportunity to see the Tigers. Regardless of the reason, Death Valley at night is an intimidating place to play. Giving hordes of loyal fans a few extra hours to stew in the parking lots (which have earned LSU the designation as best tailgating spot in the country) might have something to do with the rowdy atmosphere inside Tiger Stadium.
No joke — the stadium was once so loud that it registered as an earthquake.
Ole Miss has plenty of tailgating tradition, and LSU has that in bunches, too. The Bayou Bengals rank in the top 10 on this list, however, because they have ample football tradition to go along with the party-hardy atmosphere. LSU has won two titles in the BCS era and sends a handful of first-round picks to the NFL every year.
7. Texas Longhorns
Very few college football teams would be able to carry their own television network, but Texas does. The Longhorns were valued at $805 million in 2012. Football is a religion in the state of Texas, and the Longhorns may be the biggest point of pride.
Texas ranks third all-time in wins and ranks second in the number of bowl appearances. The Horns have won 32 conference titles and four consensus national titles, most recently winning in 2005. That 2005 Rose Bowl will forever be remembered as one of the best games in the history of the NCAA, as Vince Young scored with 20 seconds left to push Texas to a 41-38 win over heavy favorite USC.
In terms of football traditions, Texas boasts a live longhorn steer, Bevo, the world’s largest drum, Bertha (Purdue University disputes this claim), and the famous “Hook ‘Em Horns!” hand signal. Texas and Oklahoma share the Red River Rivalry. There is also an in-state rivalry with Texas A&M. Both rivalry games have been played over 100 times. Texas, set in Austin, is not necessarily known for the over-the-top tailgates of the SEC, but if you’re a fan of smoked meat and barbecue, there may not be a better campus to visit.
6. Ohio State Buckeyes
Contrary to popular belief, there is quality football played north of the state of Tennessee in the United States. Ohio State is the first team from the north/Midwest to crack the top 10 of this list, and the Buckeyes are definitely worthy.
Ohio State has won eight national titles, spanning seven different decades. This program has been the model of consistency. Buckeyes have won seven Heisman Trophies, which ties Notre Dame for the most in NCAA history. Archie Griffin is also the only two-time winner of the award.
The Buckeyes have had a string of high-profile (if not controversial) head coaches. Paul Brown (the guy they named the Cleveland Browns after) won the school’s first title. Woody Hayes made Ohio State into a powerhouse, won five national titles, and got himself fired after punching a Clemson player during the 1978 Gator Bowl. Jim Tressel was the most successful coach at OSU since Hayes was fired, winning a national title but seeing his tenure come to an end amidst the Tattoogate scandal. The current head coach, Urban Meyer, secured a national title in 2014 and has completely reworked the Ohio State offense, which once relied heavily on ball control and the I-formation, into a speedy, spread dynamo.
As far as traditions go, Ohio State is deserving of a few buckeye leaves on the side of their helmet. Brutus is one of the most easily recognized mascots in sports, the Horseshoe is one of the loudest stadiums in the country, and the rivalry with Michigan is one of the best in the NCAA. Still, none of that holds a candle to the OSU band and their script “O-H-I-O” with a ceremonial dotting of the i.
5. Oklahoma Sooners
The Sooners have produced five Heisman Trophy winners, and Oklahoma has one of the most decorated programs in the history of the NCAA. They have won seven national titles while placing 154 players on the All-American team. An Oklahoma player has also won virtually every major award, including the Maxwell Award, the Walter Camp Award, the Dick Butkus Award and the Outland Award. You name it, and the Sooners have probably won it.
Oklahoma has the most 10-win seasons in the NCAA (36), the most 11-plus win seasons (22), the fewest losing seasons (12) and has spent a whopping 389 weeks in the top five. This is a program that has had very few, if any, down cycles.
The Sooners wear an iconic shade of crimson and have very simple uniforms. The intertwined O-U on their helmets is easily recognizable, and it says something about a program’s historic standing that very few changes are ever made to a uniform.
The most “traditional” part of the Oklahoma football program, besides the trophy case full of awards, is the Sooner Schooner, a covered wagon pulled by two white ponies that serves as the unofficial mascot.
4. Michigan Wolverines
The Wolverines are the NCAA’s all-time leader in wins and have been competing since 1879. They are one of the earliest adopters of college football, especially outside of the Ivy League enclave of the Northeast. Nearly everything about Michigan’s program oozes tradition. From the Big House to the winged helmet, to the yearly battles with Ohio State, Michigan is all about tradition.
The Maize and Blue have won 11 national titles, but only one since 1948. That lack of consistent contention for the national championship is enough to knock them down to number four on this list.
The Wolverines were at their best under Bo Schembechler, who coached them for 20 years from 1969 to 1989. He helped ratchet up the intensity of the rivalry with the Buckeyes and won 13 conference titles.
Outside of their rivalry with Ohio State, the Wolverines have a handful of other fierce rivalries, with the annual clash with Notre Dame serving the most important on a national scale. Michigan also has a reputation for developing NFL quarterbacks, including Tom Brady, Brian Griese, Elvis Grbac and Chad Henne. Lloyd Carr was instrumental in developing this QB pipeline.
Michigan has been doing college football for a long time and doing it very, very well. The program is now led by a “Michigan Man,” Jim Harbaugh, and that bodes well for the future.
3. University of Southern California Trojans
Like Michigan, USC has won 11 national championships and produced scores of elite talent. Throughout history, USC’s program has produced several dynastic runs, winning three titles in the 1930s, two in the 1960s, four in the 1970s, and two in the 2000s.
In terms of raw production of elite football players, USC is unmatched. Seven Heisman Trophies have been won by Trojans, including three in rapid succession (Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush) during the mini-dynasty of the early 2000s. In addition to dominating the Heisman ranks, USC is also prominently featured in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, with a leading 12 members hailing from the school.
Wisconsin prides itself on producing great running backs, but the true leader in that department is USC. O.J. Simpson, Marcus Allen, Anthony Davis, Bush and LenDale White all passed through the program. Very few universities would be able to assemble an all-time team that would be able to knock off USC.
In terms of pure pageantry, USC also stands above most. There is an allure to playing in Los Angeles, and for years, USC was the city’s primary football team. USC’s cheerleaders are California cool in an effortless way, and the team plays in the LA Coliseum, a venue that has seen plenty of its own history. As with many of the teams on this list, USC has a time-honored, simple uniform design that’s instantly recognizable.
2. Alabama Crimson Tide
Roll Damn Tide is more a religious invocation than anything else in the state of Alabama, and why not? The Crimson Tide has won 16 national titles. Since 1925, Alabama has won at least one title in every decade but the 1950s and 1980s. The program prides itself on having a punishing running game and stout defense. In this day and age, watching ‘Bama pound its tailback between the tackles feels like a throwback to a different era.
Most Alabamans are Christians, but that doesn’t stop them from worshiping at the altar of Paul “Bear” Bryant every weekend. Houndstooth hats are not in style in 99 percent of the contiguous United States, but they continue to move units in Tuscaloosa.
Without any professional sports teams calling Alabama home, the Tide is truly the No. 1 topic of conversation for 365 days every year, and under Nick Saban, that conversation has been mostly good since 2007, with four more titles.
Alabama is one of few schools left in the country that features the individual player’s number on the side of his helmet, another throwback to bygone days. It’s a simple touch, but it serves as a reminder that Alabama has been doing this whole college football thing for a long, long time.
1. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Love ’em or hate ’em, no college football team has risen to a national level quite like the Irish. They are one of the few teams that have transcended regional allegiances. It’s hard to say exactly what it is that allows Notre Dame to grip the entire nation, but their long tradition of excellence and their ties to the Catholic Church have to help. Notre Dame was also one of the most dominant teams in the 1920s and 30s, when college football first captivated the nation.
The Irish have 11 consensus national titles, as well as 11 contested titles, a leading seven Heisman Trophy winners and nearly 500 players drafted to the NFL. Notre Dame also has its own television agreement with NBC, ensuring their games are seen all across the country.
Some of the biggest names in the history of college football have been Golden Domers, including Joe Montana, Alan Page, Tim Brown, Paul Hornung and Jerome Bettis. Knute Rockne and his Four Horsemen captivated the nation and are still spoken of to this day.
The Irish have also helped to further their reputation by seeking out titanic rivalries with programs like USC, Michigan, Michigan State and the Naval Academy. Maintaining their independent status has allowed Notre Dame to continue to cultivate their biggest rivalries, and that is a treat for college football fans.
Everything about the Notre Dame football experience is steeped in tradition. There’s Touchdown Jesus, the stadium which overlooks a beautiful campus, the shiny gold helmets, freshly painted for each contest and the angry leprechaun. This is truly an iconic program, and college football is better off when the Irish are contending for national titles.